Hit and Run Insurance Claims: What Coverage Pays & How to File

Which Insurance Coverages Apply to a Hit-and-Run?

When another driver hits your car and flees, you can't file a claim against their liability insurance because you don't know who they are. That forces you to turn to your own auto policy. Fortunately, several coverages can step in, each serving a different purpose depending on whether you were injured and whether your car was parked or in motion.

According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety's March 2026 research brief, roughly 900,000 police-reported hit-and-run crashes occurred in 2023 (15% of all crashes, the highest share ever recorded). Those crashes caused more than 240,000 injuries and 2,872 deaths, which is 7% of all crash deaths, also a record high. About 1 in 4 pedestrians and cyclists killed or injured in traffic crashes were struck in a hit-and-run. AAA also reports that hit-and-run fatalities have surged 89% over the past decade, peaking at 2,972 deaths in 2022, with California leading all states in 2022 at 490 fatal hit-and-run deaths. With the trend still elevated (and a hit-and-run now occurring roughly every 43 seconds nationwide), understanding which coverages protect you has never been more critical.

Uninsured Motorist Coverage (UM/UMBI)

Uninsured motorist bodily injury (UMBI) coverage is designed precisely for situations where the at-fault driver can't be identified. It covers medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering for you and your passengers when a hit-and-run driver injures you. In many states, UM coverage is required by law, and it typically carries no deductible.

However, there's an important limitation: UMBI does not cover property damage to your vehicle in a hit-and-run in most states. For vehicle repairs, you'll need a separate coverage type. Learn more in our uninsured motorist coverage guide.

Collision Coverage

Collision coverage is your primary tool for repairing your car after a hit-and-run. It pays for damage to your vehicle regardless of whether the at-fault driver is identified, meaning it applies even when the other driver flees. You'll pay your deductible first, typically $500 to $1,000 for most drivers, then your insurer covers the rest. The $500 deductible remains the most common choice, though CCC's 2026 Crash Course data shows 26% of drivers now carry $1,000+ deductibles to offset higher premiums. Learn more about how car insurance coverage works before deciding on your deductible amount.

Uninsured Motorist Property Damage (UMPD)

Some states offer uninsured motorist property damage (UMPD) as an alternative to collision for vehicle repairs after a hit-and-run. UMPD often carries a lower deductible than collision, but it's not available in all states (Florida, for example, does not offer it for hit-and-run property damage). In California, you must choose between collision and UMPD (you cannot carry both), and UMPD payouts are capped at $3,500. Check with your insurer or state insurance department to see if UMPD is an option in your state.

Parked Car Hit-and-Run: Collision, Not Comprehensive

One of the most common misconceptions about hit-and-run car insurance is that comprehensive coverage handles a parked car that gets hit. This is incorrect. Comprehensive covers non-collision events like theft, fire, hail, or falling objects. A vehicle striking your parked car is still a collision, even if you weren't in it.

What does apply to a parked car hit-and-run:

• Collision coverage pays for repairs minus your deductible
• UMPD is available in select states as a lower-deductible alternative
• Liability-only policies provide zero coverage for your own vehicle damage

Location doesn't change the coverage type. Whether your car was hit in a parking garage, a street, or a private lot, collision is the appropriate coverage. For a deeper look at how parking lot accidents are handled by insurance, including fault and surveillance evidence, it's worth reviewing before you file.

Injury vs. Property Damage: Why the Distinction Matters

How your hit-and-run claim is handled, and which coverages activate, largely depends on whether injuries occurred or the accident only caused property damage. Vehicle repairs alone can cost $1,000 to $15,000, while injury-related costs can easily exceed $28,000 (the current national average bodily injury liability claim per the Insurance Information Institute, with CCC data pushing that to roughly $29,100 per injured party in Q2 2025), making adequate coverage limits critical.

Hit-and-Run with Injuries

If you or your passengers were hurt when the driver fled:

• UMBI covers medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering
• MedPay or PIP (Personal Injury Protection) may also help cover immediate medical costs, regardless of fault
• You may be able to pursue additional damages through your UM policy up to your coverage limits
• No deductible typically applies to UMBI claims

Learn how car insurance covers medical expenses and which coverages pay first after an accident.

Hit-and-Run with Property Damage Only

When no one is hurt and it's purely a vehicle damage situation:

• Collision coverage (or UMPD) handles vehicle repairs
• UMBI does not activate
• Your deductible applies

Understanding underinsured motorist coverage in detail can help you determine if your current limits are adequate for both injury and property damage scenarios.

Police Reports, Witnesses & How to File Your Claim

Do You Need a Police Report?

While you can technically file some insurance claims without a police report, a hit-and-run is a different story. Most insurers require or strongly expect a police report for hit-and-run claims because there's no other driver to corroborate your account. Without one, your claim may be delayed, reduced, or denied, and many insurers require notification within 24 to 72 hours of the incident. Learn more about claim reporting deadlines by state so you don't miss a policy window.

Filing a police report also:

• Creates an official record of the incident
• Initiates an investigation that could identify the fleeing driver
• Supports your insurer's fraud review process (proving this was a real accident)

Many states have specific reporting timelines. In California, for example, you must file an SR-1 report with the DMV within 10 days if the accident involves injury or property damage over $1,000. AAA's 2026 research also shows that fatal hit-and-run crashes most often occur late at night or in the early morning, when darkness and fewer witnesses make identifying the fleeing driver much harder. Your own documentation is often the difference between a paid claim and a denied one. For a complete step-by-step walkthrough, see our step-by-step claims process guide.

The Role of Witnesses and Surveillance

Evidence is everything in a hit-and-run claim. Since the other driver is gone, you need to reconstruct what happened through other sources:

• Eyewitnesses: Collect names and contact information from anyone who saw the accident. Witness accounts can confirm the incident occurred and may help identify the fleeing vehicle.
• Security cameras: Parking lots, businesses, traffic intersections, and even nearby homes may have recorded the incident. Alert police immediately so footage can be preserved before it's overwritten. Surveillance footage retention windows can be as short as 7 days in parking garages.
• Dashcam footage: If you or a nearby vehicle had a dashcam running, that footage can be invaluable.
• Photos: Photograph all damage, the accident scene, road debris, and any paint transfer or parts left by the other vehicle.

For a thorough walkthrough of the documentation process, see our guide on parking lot accident claims, which covers many of the same evidence-gathering steps.

Steps to File a Hit-and-Run Insurance Claim

1. Move to safety and check for injuries, and call 911 even for minor symptoms since injuries can appear hours later
2. Call 911 and file a police report, then get the report number
3. Document everything with photos, video, witness info, camera locations, and a written account of events while details are fresh
4. Notify your insurer within 24 to 72 hours using their app or claims line, since delays risk coverage denial
5. File your claim under the appropriate coverage (collision, UMPD, or UMBI for injuries)
6. Cooperate with adjusters and provide all documentation

Will Your Rates Go Up? Deductibles, Rate Impacts & State Variations

Will a Hit-and-Run Claim Raise Your Insurance Rates?

This is one of the most common concerns for hit-and-run victims, and the answer is: it depends. As a not-at-fault victim, most insurers treat a hit-and-run as a not-at-fault claim, so rates typically stay the same. However, roughly two-thirds of states still allow surcharges on not-at-fault claims (with California, Oklahoma, Washington, and Ohio among the states that explicitly bar or restrict them), and industry data shows that where surcharges are allowed, they generally run about 5% to 15%. Some insurers may also review your overall claims history, especially if you've filed multiple claims within the typical three-year look-back period.

Key factors that influence whether your rate increases:

• Your state's laws: States like California and Oklahoma prohibit rate hikes for not-at-fault claims, while Ohio restricts them within a single policy period
• Your claims history: Multiple recent claims can trigger a review even where surcharges are limited
• Your coverage type: Using your own collision or UM coverage may prompt scrutiny; if the at-fault driver is later identified, claiming against their policy avoids using yours
• Accident forgiveness: If your policy includes this feature, a single not-at-fault incident may be protected
• Timely police report: Some insurers (including State Farm) treat a hit-and-run with a police report filed within 24 hours as a qualifying circumstance to avoid a rate hike

For a deeper look at how not-at-fault accidents affect your premium, see our guide on first-party vs. third-party coverage and the broader financial risks of being underprotected.

Deductibles and the Collision Deductible Waiver (CDW)

When you file a collision claim for hit-and-run damage, your deductible applies. The most common deductible is $500, which is the industry standard. Higher deductibles of $1,000 to $2,000 are increasingly popular for the premium savings they offer, dropping monthly costs by $15 to $35 compared to a $500 deductible, but they leave you with a larger out-of-pocket burden when filing a claim.

A Collision Deductible Waiver (CDW) is an optional endorsement that can waive your deductible, but there's a critical catch: CDWs are designed for accidents with identified uninsured drivers. Since hit-and-run drivers are by definition unidentified, CDWs generally do not apply to hit-and-run situations unless you later identify the fleeing vehicle.

California and Massachusetts are the two states that specifically regulate collision deductible waivers. California Insurance Code § 11580.26 requires insurers to offer the waiver whenever a policy includes both collision coverage and UMBI coverage, but the waiver only pays your deductible when the damage is caused by an uninsured motor vehicle that can be identified. In a hit-and-run, this means you'd need to later identify the fleeing vehicle and verify the driver was uninsured, and California also requires documented physical contact. Massachusetts M.G.L. ch. 175, § 113O follows a similar identified-driver rule, so pure hit-and-runs typically don't qualify.

Bottom line: If you're a hit-and-run victim using collision coverage, budget for your full deductible. Learn how underinsured motorist coverage affects your overall protection and out-of-pocket exposure before setting your coverage levels.

State Variations in Hit-and-Run Coverage

Hit-and-run insurance rules vary significantly by state, and several states updated their UM/UIM laws in 2025 and 2026. Here are the most important differences to know:

If you're unsure whether your current limits are enough, our guide on types of car insurance coverage can help you assess your coverage gaps. You can also explore the uninsured motorist crisis to understand why strong UM/UIM limits matter now more than ever.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does insurance cover a hit-and-run if the driver is never found?

Yes, as long as you have the right coverages. Collision coverage will pay for vehicle repairs (minus your deductible) regardless of whether the driver is identified. If you were injured, your uninsured motorist bodily injury (UMBI) coverage can pay for medical bills, lost wages, and more. You do not need to identify the other driver to use either of these coverages, which is exactly why having both is so valuable. Learn more about UM/UIM protection and why experts recommend carrying it even where it's not required.

Is a hit-and-run on a parked car covered by comprehensive or collision?

Collision coverage applies when another vehicle strikes your parked car, not comprehensive. Comprehensive is reserved for non-collision events like theft, fire, or weather damage. Some drivers confuse the two, but a car being struck by another vehicle is always a collision event, even if you weren't inside it at the time. Review how parking lot accidents are covered for more detail on fault and evidence gathering.

Will my insurance go up after a hit-and-run claim where I was the victim?

Not necessarily. States like California and Oklahoma prohibit insurers from raising rates for not-at-fault accidents, and where surcharges are allowed, they typically run 5% to 15% rather than the 40%+ jumps seen with at-fault claims. However, insurers can still review your overall claims history, and filing multiple claims within a three-year look-back period may lead to a rate adjustment. Having accident forgiveness on your policy (or filing a police report within 24 hours where required by your insurer) can further protect you. See our full breakdown of first-party vs. third-party coverage for state-specific protections.

Do I need a police report to file a hit-and-run insurance claim?

While not always legally required, a police report is strongly recommended, and many insurers require it for hit-and-run claims specifically. It establishes an official record of the incident, supports the validity of your claim, and can aid in identifying the fleeing driver. Most insurers also require you to report the incident within 24 to 72 hours, so acting quickly is essential. Our step-by-step claims process guide walks you through what to do immediately after any accident.

What is the "physical contact rule" in hit-and-run UM claims?

The physical contact rule is a requirement in most states that there must be documented proof of actual physical contact between the hit-and-run vehicle and your car before you can file a UM claim. This rule exists to prevent fraudulent claims where no other vehicle was actually involved. In a minority of states (including Virginia, Delaware, Georgia, and Wisconsin), corroborated witness statements or independent evidence can substitute for physical contact, allowing claims involving "phantom vehicles" that caused accidents without direct contact. Check your state's specific rules and review your UM/UIM coverage options to know exactly what protection you have.